If you create multiple Twitter accounts quickly, Twitter will suspend them all.

Complaining to Twitter that you meant no harm won’t help. Twitter has even acknowledged to users in the past after suspending accounts that the accounts were otherwise fine, but would not be unsuspended.

How many is too many to create all at once? Twitter won’t say. But I’ve seen as few as 6 suspended. I would recommend not exceeding 2 or 3 unless you use the trick mentioned below.

Of course, in practice, you can create as many as you like if you spread out the time it takes to create them, and they aren’t used in ways that gets them suspended.

When You Have To Hide What You’re Doing From Twitter

There are many good, valid reasons to create multiple accounts. Frequently, the organizer of a class or conference does it to provide attendees a social media channel to use at the event. Another common reason is to set up multiple information channels around a topic. And accounts created for nefarious purposes (such as sending spam) will likely be suspended once they start tweeting. So this trick is only for accounts set up for valid purposes! If you’re unclear on the difference, read Twitter’s rules carefully.

You’ll typically need to disconnect and reconnect between setting up each account so each will have been created from a different IP address. This is the main point: each account needs to be created from a different IP address.

But, take care! Some more disreputable proxy services may have the IPs they use added to “banned” lists, and it won’t do you any good. That’s why I generally recommend using a well-known paid service such as this one. Also, if you make an error, or the service has an error, you may have to redo some accounts. So the final step is to check the accounts regularly.

Alternatives And Additional Tricks

Yes, you could use a bunch of friends, or computers at different locations, or other tricks to achieve the same purpose. But for the average user, using a web proxy is the simplest solution. Using a mobile device to register accounts won’t work. (The last person I know who tried using a mobile device had all the accounts they created suspended.)

And once they are created, to make them even less likely to be suspended, tweet something to each of them from any well-established account, and login to a few each day and reply to that established account with different wording. (It can be as simple as “Welcome to Twitter!” and “Thanks!” but remember to vary the wording). Why? Because communication with existing accounts makes Twitter trust new accounts much more.

If the accounts are going to be communicating with one another, make sure you take the time to have them follow one another. This is important! Otherwise it will look to Twitter like the initial tweets are “unsolicited” and could get the account close to being marked for spam and suspended. Put them all on a Twitter list to make this easier.

Also, be sure to educate users that will be using the accounts (if this is your use scenario) on a few Twitter rules as well. Mainly, tell them not to tweet rapidly to a lot of accounts they aren’t following, or aren’t following them, as that looks like spam-type behavior when seen from brand new accounts.

Final Warning

If you do get accounts suspended by creating too many too quickly, realize that Twitter may look at all activity from the IP address you used as suspicious. Which could put any existing Twitter accounts created from that IP address on thin ice. So don’t risk it!